Hay-stacker.



No. 759,345. PATBN'IEDv MAY 10, 1904. W. A. n S. S. GAVETT.

HAY STAGKER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 23.1903.

No MODEL. V z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT' OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. CAVETT AND SAMUEL S. CAVET'I, 0F KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI.

HAY-STACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 759,345q dated May 10, 1904,

Application iiled October 23, 1903. Serial No. 178.233. (No model.)

T) all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. CAvET'r and SAMUEL S. CAVET'I, citizens of the United States, residing' at Kirlsville, in the county of Adair and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Hay-Stacker, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hay-stackers, and refers Inore particularly to that type of haystackers comprising' a braced ground-frame and afork-frame pivoted on the ground-frame and hoisted by means of a system of hoistropes and pulleys, power being supplied by horses or by an engine, as preferred.

The present invention is an improvement upon the haystaeker for which Letters Patcnt No. 674,495 were granted to W. A. Cavett, May 21, 1901; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of the haystacker hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying' drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved support for the fork-frame, to provide guy-ropes by which the throw of the fork-frame may be positively limited and by means of which the throw of the fork-frame when extended and when contracted may be stopped. at the same point.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the hay-stacker with the forkframe contracted and resting upon the ground. Fig. 2 is a View in elevation of the stacker with the forli-frame extended and raised to its uppermost position.` Fig. Sis a detail view showing the arrangement of the guy-ropes to limit the throw of the fork-frame when eX- tended.

Referring to the drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by similar characters of reference throughout, 1 1 represent the side bars, and Q the c ross bars, of the ground-frame F, said ground -frame being' braced by oblique braces 3, arranged between the cross-bars and side bars of the frame. The fork-frame F comprises side bars 4;, mounted upon a transverse shaft 5, which is supported in bearing-blocks 6 on theside bars of the ground,- frame, extension-bars 7 slidably connected with the side bars 4 by means of metal strips 8, a cross-bar 9, and oblique braces 10,connecting the cross-bar with the side bars 4C. In order to limit the play of the extension-bars upon the side bars, stop-blocks 11 are rigidly attached to the side bars at their pivoted ends, and in order to hold the extension-bars in position when extended blocks 12 are attached to the side bars at suitable points, and pivoted loops 13 are provided on the side bars near their forward ends for engagement with said blocks, as best seen in Fig. 2. The shaft 5, upon which the fork-frame is mounted, is preferably tubular in form in order to have sufficient strength with a minimum of'weight.

The fork is mounted upon the extension` bars 7 at their forward ends and consists of cross-bars 15, to which are rigidly attached longforlciingers 1Gand short fork-iingers 17, pivotally attached to the long forli-fingers, a cross-bar 18 connecting the short fork-fingers and adjustable braces 19, pivotally attached to two of the short forl-lingers and adjustably connected with the extension-bars 7 by means of pins engaging openings 20, of which a plurality are provided in each of the extensionbars in suitable relation to the fork.

In order to hoist the forli-frame, ahoistinglever 21Vis pivotally mounted on one of the cross-bars 2 of the ground-frame and braced by stay-rods 22, extending from eyes 23 in the ground-frame to a cross-bolt 9A near the top of thehoistingdever. The hoisting-lever is also connected with the fork by means of rods 25, attached to the upper end of the hoisting-lever by means of a cross-bolt 26 and communicating with eyes 27 in one of the cross-bars of the fork. The power for hoisting the fork-frame with its load is applied to the hoistingflever by means of a hoist-rope 28, having one end attached to the rear crossbar of the ground-frame and thread ed through two single sheaves 29, swiveled on said rear cross-bar of the ground -frame and also through a double shield 30, having aswiveled connection with the upper end of the hoistlever. The other end of the hoist-rope 28 -may be attached to the drum of a winding- `engine or may have a wlniiletree secured thereto, so that horses or other draft-animals may be employed to furnish the power.

In order to limit the upward throw of the fork-frame and also to impart initial return movement simultaneously to the fork-frame and the hoisting mechanism, a spring 31 is attached to the hoisting-lever near the bottom of its front surface, and a guy-rope 32 is secured in an eye 33 at the free end of the spring. The guy-rope 32 passes through a guide loop or eye 34, fixed upon the front cross-bar of the ground-frame and travels under a guide-pulley 35 just in front of the guide-loop 34. The guy-rope 32 is short and is provided at its forward end with a ring 36, to which are attached two ropes 37, which extend from the ring 36 to the fork, passing' through openings 33 in the extension-bars 7 just below the rear cross-bar 15 of the fork. The ropes 37 are provided at the ends with loops 39 for engagement with hooks 40, mounted on the rear cross-bar of the fork, and these loops are employed for securing the ends of the ropes 37 when the fork-frame is contracted. The loops 39 have knots 41 at their points of attachment to the ropes 37, and when the fork-frame is extended to the full length the loops 39 are disengaged from the hooks 40 and the knots 41 drawn against the,

extension-bars 7. By disengaging the loops 39 from the hooks 40 and allowing the ropes 37 to be drawn through the openings 33 in the extension-bars until the knots 41 come into contact with the sides of said extensionbars the effective length of the ropes 37 is increased to a sufficient extent to permit the fork-frame to be hoisted to the same elevation that the frame may be hoisted when contracted if the loops 39 are in engagement with the hook 40.

In the operation of the stacker the forkframe is lowered until the fork rests upon the ground, and a load of hay is then placed upon the fork, the short fork-lingers being adjusted in position to suit the nature of the hay and the height of the stack. 1f the stack is low, the fork-frame will be contracted and the ropes 37 will have the loops 39 at the ends thereof in engagement with the hooks 40 upon the fork. The fork having been lowered, power will be applied to the hoisting-rope 23 of any suitable source and the hoisting-lever will be drawn over into the position shown in Fig. 2, the fork-frame being elevated until it passes the vertical position and discharges its load upon the stack. rlhe movement of the forkframe past the vertical position is slight, because the eye 33 at the forward end of the spring 31 comes into contact with the guideloop 34 at the front of the ground-frame and positively stops the movement of the guyrope through said guide-loop. As the guyrope 32 is stopped the ropes 37, which connect the guy-rope 32 with the fork-frame and fork, stop the movement of these structures and prevent the fork from moving' too far rearward. As soon as the strain upon the hoisting-rope 23 is relieved the contraction of the spring 31 will draw the guy-rope 32 rearward through the guide-loop 34 far enough to pull the fork-frame past the vertical position, and its weight will then cause it to descend into position to be reloaded. As the stack increases in height and it becomes necessary to lift the hay to greater height the fork-frame will be extended by sliding the extension-bars forward and bringing the pivot-loops 13 into engagement with the blocks 12 on the extension-bars. When this is done, the loops 39 at the ends of ropes 37 will be disengaged from the hooks 40, as already explained, and the ropes 37 will be drawn through the openings 33 in the extension-bars until the knots 41 contact with the sides of said bars and stop the movement of the ropes37 through the openings in said bars. The operation of the stacker with the fork extended, as described, is precisely the same as with the fork contracted, and detailed description thereof appears to be unnecessary.

From the foregoingaccount of the construction and operation of our improved stacker and from an inspection of the drawings illustrative thereof it will be readily seen that the apparatus is designed to secure a maximum of strength with a minimum of weight and also to simplify the construction and reduce the cost thereof.

The special advantages inherent in the improved stacker are the convenience in loading which is secured by mounting the shaft upon which the fork-frame is supported upon the top of the ground-frame, the improved means for limiting the throw of the fork-frame whether extended or contracted, and the provision, with said means for limiting' the throw of the fork-frame, of means for imparting thereto an initial return movement. By mounting the shaft supporting the fork-frame in bearing-blocks on top of the ground-frame the forward ends of the fork-fingers are brought into closer Contact with the ground than they otherwise would be, and the transfer of the load of hay from a rake to the fork is facilitated. By providing the spring 31 and the guy-ropes 32 and 37 and connecting the said ropes with the fork in the manner already explained the checking of the upward movement of the fork-frame at the proper point is always insured, and simple means is provided to swing the fork-frame past the vertical position to insure its quick descent after the load of hay has been discharged therefrom.

Having thus described the construction and operation of our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a hay-stacker of a TOO IOS

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ground-trame, a forli-frame pivotall y mounted on the ground-frame, means for hoisting said forli-frame to discharge its load upon a stach, guy-ropes for limiting' the upward movement of the forli-'Frama and a spring connection between said guy ropes and said hoisting means to impart initial return movement to the hoisting' mechanism and the fork-trame after discharging the load.

2. The combination, in a hay-stacker of a ground-frame, a fork-frame pivotally mounted on the ground-frame, a hoisting-lever, means t'or imparting movement to said hoisting'lever, connections between the hoisting-lever and the fork-frame, a spring attached to said hoistingdever, a guy-rope attached to said spring and to said forli-frame, and means for limiting the movement of said guy-rope.

8. The combination in a hay-stacker of a ground-frame, a fork-frame pivotally mounted on the ground-frame, a hoisting-lever, connections between said hoisting-lever and said forl-frame, aspring attached to said hoistinglever, a guy-rope attached to said spring and attached to said fork-frame, guiding means for said guy-rope mounted on said ground iframe, and means on said guy-rope for limiting its movement through said guiding means.

4. The combination in a hay-stacker of a ground-frame, an extensible `fork-frame pivotally mounted on said ground-frame, means for hoisting said fork-frame, a guy-rope connected with said hoisting means, and means for adjustably connecting said guya'ope with said 'fork-iframe so that said guy-rope will stop the movement of said fork-frame at the same point when extended and when contracted.

5. The combination in a hay-stacker oi' a ground-frame, an extensible forli-frame pivotally mounted on the ground-frame, a hoisting mechanism, a guy-rope connected at one end with said hoisting mechanism, and having branches extending through the sides of said forli-frame and terminating in loops having knots at their bases, and hooks on said fork with which said loops may be engaged when the .fork-frame is contracted, the loops and hooks being disengaged when the fork-frame is extended and the knots at the bases ot' said loops brought into contact with the sides of the fork-frame.

6. The combination in ahay-stacker oi a ground-frame, a `fork-trame pivotally mounted on said ground-frame, a hoisting-lever pivotally mounted on the ground-frame, stayrods pivotally connected with the sides oi' said ground-frame and attached to said hoistinglever near its upper end, rods pivotallv connected with the upper end of said hoisting'- lever and with the forward end of said forkirame, and means for imparting movement to said hoisting-lever comprising a cord attached at one end to the rear of said ground-frame and threaded through a system of pulleys upon said ground-frame and upon said hoistinglever.

7. rlhe combination in a hay-stacker of a ground-frame, an extensible fork-frame pivotally mounted on said ground-frame, means for hoisting said follvti'ame, a guy-rope having a spring' connection with said hoisting means, means Jfor adjustably connecting said guy-rope with said fork-frame so that said guy-rope will stop the movement of said forki'rame at the same point when extended and when contracted, and a guide-pulley for said guy-rope mounted on said ground-frame.

8. The combination in a hay-stacker ol a ground-frame, an extensible fork-i`rame pivotally mounted on said ground-frame, hoisting mechanism, guiding' devices at the forward end of said ground-frame, a guy-rope arranged for travel through said guiding devices, means at the ends of said guy-rope for limiting its movement through said guiding devices, a spring connection between said guy-rope and said hoisting mechanism, and branch ropes extending from the other end of said guy-rope to the forward end oi' said fork-frame and adjustably connected therewith.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto aliixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. CAVETT. SAMUEL S. CAVETT. /Vitnesses:

FRANK lV. Gines, ED F. WAL'rnns. 

